


Frame of reference

by Insecuriosity



Series: Kinkmeme fills [5]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Abnormal interface equipment, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Sex, Anatomy, Bodily Functions, Flyer anatomy, Frame differences, Other, Seeker anatomy, Sex Talk, Sexual Humor, The Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-05
Updated: 2014-12-05
Packaged: 2018-02-28 06:20:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2721908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insecuriosity/pseuds/Insecuriosity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“...Seekers don't have SPIKES?” </p><p>Ratchet turned and shrugged. “Well... not like we do anyway.”</p><p>Wheeljack and Ratchet have an interesting and enlightening talk about the differences between a grounder and flyer frame. A fill for this kinkmeme prompt; http://tfanonkink.livejournal.com/13205.html?thread=14844309#t14844309</p>
            </blockquote>





	Frame of reference

**Author's Note:**

> A fill on my own kinkmeme prompt. I didn't even manage to fit in my own 'bonuses'. Heh. Might do that at a later time :) http://tfanonkink.livejournal.com/13205.html?thread=14844309#t14844309
> 
> This has been smouldering in my head for a long time, so here it finally is!

“...Seekers don't have SPIKES?” 

Ratchet turned and raised an eyebrow. “That's what I said didn't I? Seekers and other flyers don't have spikes in the same way as ground-bound mechs do. Simple rule; if it flies? No spike.”

Wheeljack was baffled, and his panels were lit without a sound coming out of his vocaliser. It reminded Ratchet of Spike's expression of utter awe when Sideswipe and Sunstreaker decided to try acrobatics and transforming at the same time, only a bit more embarrassed. Ratchet quirked an optic ridge. “Don't tell me you didn't know that Wheeljack.” 

Wheeljack's panels flickered, and Ratchet stared.  
“Really? You've been creating weapons and devices and what-not to bring flyers down to the ground, and you don't know their basic anatomy?” 

Wheeljack's panels turned into an annoyed yellow. “Well, you don't need spike-sizes to make for a decent sound-blaster, and I have an honour code about going for the interface equipment.” 

Ratchet snorted. “Sure, honour code. I'm pretty sure you just don't want the Con's to follow your lead and make some weird interface-destroying weapon.” 

Wheeljack shuddered. “Don't even joke about stuff like that. I like my equipment whole and functional.” Ratchet returned to sorting his tools, and Wheeljack remained quiet by the door. 

“.....So, how do they....?” The scientist stalled for a moment. “I was under the impression that Seekers get bitlets just like us. You know, valve, spike, little bit of spark-zapping, nanyte donation, gestationchamber, yadda yadda. How the frag do they do that without equipment? And don't tell me that they get brought by the volt-stork, because I know that that's slag.” 

Ratchet smiled, and turned to his friend, debating on where to start. Seeker frames were about as different from grounder frames as Insecticons were. Not just their frames, but their entire culture and demeanor was subtly different from the grounders. Even fliers who had been born and raised in Iacon acted as if they were from Vos (and like they were Primus' gift to the universe, but that was probably another seeker thing). 

Usually, everyone focused on the cultural differences instead of the differences in their frame. With so many alts and forms and sizes, a frame that could fly was just one of the many possibilities, and it didn't garner any special attention at all. But when they were opened up?... Their systems could have been alien. It would be just like the time where Spike had explained that 'fetish BDSM porn' was not the common human way of interfacing, and that whips and torture devices were usually not a part of the experience.

Ratchet laid down his tools and prepared for a fun and enlightening little talk with Wheeljack.  
“Tell me Wheeljack, did you ever come across a flyer and grounder couple?” 

Wheeljack shrugged. “No? They're too stuck up to even look down at a grounder, they're too pretty for grounders, too fast for grounders, too obnoxious...Though now I'm thinking that it's mostly because they just... don't have the equipment.” His gaze snapped to Ratchet's face. “They don't have valves either do they?”

It was so very typical for Wheeljack to focus on the cultural differences first. 'Seekers don't look that different, they only act different because they are snobby glitches with a pole up their aft.' If only everyone knew how different seeker frames really are.

“Wheeljack, do you know that seekerlets fly for a few decacycles straight after becoming airborne for the first time?” 

Ratchet was never one to give information when he could enjoy letting others struggle to understand. Wheeljack was too curious to be amused. “Yea. The tiny slaggers must be 90% fuel tank for them to keep flying for so long. Why is this relevant?” 

Ratchet ignored his question. “Their fuel tanks are actually only a few inches bigger than grounder tanks. For longer flights with smaller frames, both shuttleframes and seekerframes have an extendible nozzle that allows for energon to be directly donated to another flyer, even when in mid-flight. It takes precision and skill, and it's mandatory that seekerlets learn how to refuel this way during their first flight.” 

Ratchet tried to find an example, but his processor only had blurry images of black dots hanging in an open Cybertron sky. Not at all right for educational purposes. Oh how he sometimes wished for the old glorious datafiles of his old clinic... He made a crude scrabble, and held it up for Wheeljack to see. 

“The nozzle extends to about half the length of their alt form, and is completely rigid and immobile. For refueling, they simply connect to the secondary intake that most seekers have on their frame, similar as to how we have that weird refuel-port from our Earth altmodes on the hip-plates.” Ratchet paused. “And with the right connections and protocols activated, that fuel intake doubles as a valve.” 

Wheeljack's optics were cycled as wide as datadisks, and Ratchet made a mental note to tell more clueless grounders about seeker frames when he was feeling bored.

“You're saying that seekers have spikes that are half the size of their body, that they can use to feed or frag their partners with?!” 

“Pretty much.” 

Wheeljack held up his hands. “How do they even.... And they feed sparklings with.... with their weird feeder-spikes?!”

“In a way you could compare it to feeding a young sparkling energon from your own lines, but from a designated system instead of a wound.” Ratchet corrected. “Protocols and permissions need to be traded before actual interface can happen, in case you're thinking of what I think you're thinking of.” 

Wheeljack gave him a helpless look. 

“Oh, and before you ask, yes, that intake can fully accommodate a flyer's nozzle when both partners are in their root mode. Where do you think the term 'frag you up to your tank' came from?” 

Wheeljack looked up at him a little sickly. “I thought it was an expression.”

Ratchet snorted, and went back to his tools. “It is, and I'm one hundred percent sure that it came from the first grounder mech that decided to try interfacing with a seeker.” 

Wheeljack was still lingering by the door, and Ratchet could tell from the silence that the mech was thinking. “Just spit it out Wheeljack. I still have cleaning to do and I know you are busy too.” 

Wheeljack hesitated for a moment. “.... Ratchet?” 

“Yes?”

“Didn't you used to have a thing with Pharma?” 

Ratchet grinned darkly, and Wheeljack felt a sudden need to be in his labs with a comforting, non-sexual, non-absurd project. He left the medbay in a hurry, and tried his hardest not to stare when he passed Skyfire and the Aerial bots in the halls.  
The image of the huge shuttle sprouting a spike half his own size and plugging it into Skybolt had his processors stalling. He turned abruptly and started towards the rec room. 

He needed a drink.


End file.
